VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Sets New Targets for Curbing Growth in Gas

By Paula Wolfson
White House
16 April 2008

President Bush says the United States will strive to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions¹ by 2025. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports the pledge came as representatives of 17 countries headed to Paris for talks on climate change.

President Bush says the United States is already on a path to reduce the growth of greenhouse gases by 2012. He says it is time to set an even more ambitious target.

"We have shown that we can slow emissions growth," he said. "Today I am announcing a new national goal: to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025."

He says the goal can be met through a mix of incentives² and development of new, cleaner energy technology. He says power plants must lead the way.

"To reach our 2025 goal, we will need to more rapidly slow the growth of power sector³ greenhouse gas emissions so they peak within 10 to 15 years and decline thereafter," said Mr. Bush.

In a speech from the White House, the president did not offer a detailed⁴ formula to cut dangerous emissions, which scientists say trap heat from the sun leading to gradually rising temperatures on Earth. He said a specific plan of action to meet the new targets will need to be worked out in consultation⁵ with the U.S. Congress and private industry.

Negotiations⁶ with U.S. lawmakers are likely to be tough. Congress is leaning toward mandatory⁷ caps on greenhouse gas emissions, an approach the president rejects.

"Bad legislation would impose tremendous cost on our economy and on American families without accomplishing the important climate change goals we share," he said.

White House officials defend the decision to revise the administration's climate change policy with only eight months to go in Mr. Bush's term. They note Congress is about to start work on new legislation dealing⁸ with the environment. And they stress the 17 leading industrialized countries taking part in the Paris negotiations this week hope to have an agreement by the end of next year, meaning the groundwork must be laid now.

The president's proposals fall far below European goals to reduce emissions.

And environmental activists⁹ say the position taken by the president amounts to too little, too late. Senator Barbara Boxer¹⁰, the Democrat¹¹ who chairs the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, calls his approach the height of irresponsibility.

But Mr. Bush defends it as realistic.

"If we fully¹² implement¹³ our strong laws, adhere to the principles I've outlined, and adopt appropriate incentives, we will put America on an ambitious new track for greenhouse gas reductions," he said.

The president warns climate change is a global problem, and U.S. action alone is not enough. He says other countries must come up with their own goals for cutting greenhouse gases.

The Paris talks on Thursday and Friday will address possible steps to protect the planet after the Kyoto Protocol¹⁴ expires in 2012.

The United States is the only major industrialized country that did not ratify¹⁵ the protocol, although it emits more greenhouse gases than any other country.

1 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

2 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

11 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

13 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

14 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

15 ratify   

v.批准，认可，追认

参考例句：

• The heads of two governments met to ratify the peace treaty.两国政府首脑会晤批准和平条约。
• The agreement have to be ratify by the board.该协议必须由董事会批准。